Tag: Halmos College of Arts and Sciences

CAHSS Faculty Publishes book, Working JuJu Representations of the Caribbean Fantastic

Andrea Shaw Nevins, Ph.D.

Andrea Shaw Nevins, Ph.D., Professor, Interim Chair, and Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs in NSU’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS), has authored the book, Working JuJu Representations of the Caribbean Fantastic, by University of Georgia Press, November 2019. Working Juju examines how fantastical and unreal modes are deployed in portrayals of the Caribbean in popular and literary culture as well as in the visual arts.

Nevins teaches courses in international studies, literature, writing, and film, with a focus on the Caribbean and African Diaspora. She is also the author of The Embodiment of Disobedience: Fat Black Women’s Unruly Political Bodies (Lexington Press). For more information about Working JuJu, please go to https://ugapress.org/book/9780820356099/working-juju/

Andrea Shaw Nevins, Ph.D.

Halmos Faculty Publishes Microbiome Article in Nature Scientific Reports

This November, Halmos biological sciences faculty member Andrew Ozga, Ph.D. was lead author in a paper entitled, “Oral microbiome diversity in chimpanzees from Gombe National Park”. This research is the first to examine the bacteria within the wild chimpanzee oral cavity.

Historic calcified dental plaque (dental calculus) can provide a unique perspective into the health status of past human populations but currently no studies have focused on the oral microbial ecosystem of other primates, including our closest relatives, within the hominids. Advances in next generation sequencing and bioinformatic analyses have allowed researchers to study the oral microbiota of modern as well as historic and prehistoric populations through the investigation of dental calculus. Dental calculus is commonly found in living populations without adequate dental care as well as archaeological skeletal assemblages and has been estimated to contain 200 million cells per milligram. This study looks at dental calculus recovered from chimpanzee skeletal remains buried in Gombe National Park in Tanzania from the 1960’s to the 2000’s and includes several chimpanzees that Jane Goodall herself studied.

This article discussed the significant differences in oral microbial phyla between chimpanzees and anatomically modern humans. The results showcase core differences between host species and stress the importance of continued sequencing of nonhuman primate microbiomes in order to fully understand the complexity of their oral ecologies.

For more information: https://twitter.com/NSUHalmos/status/1199070486627520512 

Link to the article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-53802-1

Halmos College Faculty Publishes Review on Plants and Animals ‘Gone Wild’

This fall, Halmos College Biology faculty member Eben Gering, Ph.D. was the lead author for the paper, “Getting Back to Nature: Feralization in Animals and Plants” in the highly respected and widely read journal, Trends in Ecology & Evolution. The article brings together experts in animal behavior, plant genetics, and evolutionary theory to examine how feral organisms evolve after escaping into the wild.

From weedy rice to feral hogs – formerly domesticated crops, pets, and livestock are now ubiquitous worldwide. Nonetheless, their evolution is poorly studied. The new article addresses this gap by synthesizing information from disparate species, and by outlining future research avenues. This work can ultimately illuminate adaptive evolution, while enhancing our understanding of domestic organisms we rely on for food, labor, and companionship. Included in the paper is a video showing the evolutionary forces that shape feral gene pools and traits, and featuring illustrations provided by teen artists at REACH, a community art center in Lansing, Michigan.

Guy Harvey Research Institute Celebrates 20 Years

Halmos Faculty Member Mahmood Shivji, Ph.D. and Guy Harvey, Ph.D.

During November, the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation (GHOF) celebrated the 20th anniversary of the NSU Guy Harvey Research Institute (GHRI). Housed in the Halmos College of Natural Science and Oceanography, GHRI specializes in pelagic fish conservation, or large open-ocean fish such as sharks, marlin and tuna. Their recent work focuses on satellite tagging and tracking, as well as genetic research, among other topics. They also led a team that has successfully decoded the White Shark genome, which could potentially have applications for human health research due to their low incidences of cancer and rapid wound healing.

“The work that’s being done at the GHRI is very cutting-edge, very high-level scientific research that’s had some tremendous results for the conservation of our oceans and the big animals that live there,” said Greg Jacoski, executive director of the GHOF. “I know there’s a lot of great research that the university turns out as a whole, but I think the work that is being done out of the Oceanographic Center and the Guy Harvey Research Institute specifically is some of the best going on in the world right now, and [NSU] should be proud of the work that’s being done there.”

AAUW-NSU, Halmos College, and MEEC Team Up to Build PACE E-STEAM

Eight students from the PACE Center for Girls visited NSU for a session of the “E-STEAM (Exploring – Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math) Project for Girls”. This experiential learning initiative is dedicated to encouraging girls to pursue higher education and STEAM careers by way of mentorship, interactive activities, and academic success workshops. They started their day at the Marine Environmental Education Center (MEEC). There they built enrichment toys for Captain, the resident green sea turtle. Also participating in this event were NSU-AAUW volunteers Maureen McDermott Ed.D., and undergraduate students Haley Perkins and Nafisa Nazir.

In the afternoon they went to Halmos College Oceanographic Campus. Led by NSU-AAUW volunteer Melissa Dore, Ed.D., they visited the library, where librarian Jaime Goldman talked to them about 3D scanning and other technologies available in the library. Following this, they looked at deep sea fishes with Halmos College alumna Nina Pruzinsky and current MS student Natalie Slayden. After this, they learned about shark tracking from MS student Sydney Harned and corals from MS student Kyle Pisano.

The Nova Southeastern University branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW-NSU) has been collaborating with the Alvin Sherman Library and Broward’s PACE Center for Girls, a delinquency prevention/intervention program for adolescent girls ages 12-18 since 2008. Anyone interested in joining NSU AAUW or participating in the E-STEAM Project for Girls should contact Julie Torruellas Garcia, Ph.D. (jg1511@nova.edu).

Halmos Graduate Student

In early November, Halmos College marine biology master’s student Jessica Schieber travelled participated in the 20th Anniversary Great White Shark Expedition in Guadalupe Island, Mexico. There the group used shark cages submersibles to view and take identification photos of the sharks. In the first day they saw 16 different white sharks, three of them that had never been photo-identified.

Ms. Schieber was one of two winners of the female student research opportunity funded by the host: Marine Conservation Science Institute (MarineCSI). Applicants for the trip needed to demonstrate understanding MarineCSI’s research techniques and how this trip would propel her career forward. MarineCSI offered this opportunity because “we feel women are under-represented in shark research. How many women in leading scientific roles have you seen on Shark Week or Shark Fest?”

Ms. Schieber is conducting her thesis research on the age and growth of yellow stingray with Halmos College faculty member David Kerstetter, Ph.D.

The Marine Conservation Science Institute (MCSI) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded on the belief that focused research can make a difference in how we view and manage our marine resources.  MCSI is committed to promoting important issues in marine biology and fisheries and is currently involved in research projects around the globe dedicated to protecting and conserving marine resources.

 

Halmos Faculty Questioned on Airline Drinking Water

Robert Smith, Ph.D.

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, CBS4 Miami broadcasted a story about the quality of water on commercial airliners. This was prompted by a recent airline water quality study conducted by DietDetective.com, along with Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center, who rated US airlines on how their onboard tap water measures up to Aircraft Drinking Water Rules.

Halmos faculty member Robert Smith, Ph.D. was interviewed for the story, explaining the concerns of finding coliform bacteria. “They exist naturally in the environment, you can find them in soils, you can find them in water, but what they’re really worried about is that they’re often associated with poop from humans,” Smith explained. “So they’re concerned the water has been contaminated with human feces.”

That being said, he noted water quality onboard aircraft has been getting better over the years.

“For me, this is not a cause of massive concern,” Smith said. “I think since the federal regulations have been developed, the amount of these violations or amount of time coliform bacteria have been detected inside water sources has decreased substantially.”

The study recommends passengers only drink bottled water on aircraft, avoid coffee or tea and don’t wash your hands in the bathroom, use sanitizer instead. Smith agrees you should drink only bottled water but feels the coffee and tea are okay to drink and recommends washing your hands and then using sanitizer if you’re concerned.

 

College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences Hosts 7th Annual High School Model United Nations Conference

NSU’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS) is delighted to announce that the 7th Annual NIRAMUN Conference, held on November 8, 2019 was a great success. The Nova International Relations Association (NIRA) welcomed more than 160 local high school students to campus for the conference. NIRA serves as NSU’s regional award-winning Model United Nations team.

The faculty advisor, Nelson Bass, J.D., Ph.D., was thrilled with the turnout for the event in its 7th year: “I essentially think of our annual high school conference as a mini-Shark Preview. Since 2012, we have hosted over 1000 area high school students at this event. Not only do the delegates work on valuable skills at the conference, but they get so see our beautiful campus and work with our own students.”

NIRAMUN 2019 was the largest conference held to date at NSU, and included students from 8 area schools including: Archimedean Upper Conservatory, Pine Crest School, West Broward, McFatter Technical, Fort Lauderdale High, St. Thomas Aquinas, University School, and West Boca Raton High School. The event was run by NIRA team members and directed by the NIRA executive leadership board. The board consists of NIRA President, Varsha Gopaulchan, an International Studies major, NIRA Vice-President Genesis Alvarez, a Legal Studies major, and NIRA Internal Affairs Director Kayre Alcantara Martinez, a Political Science major. During the conference, high school students act as UN delegates representing different countries and work together to solve pressing global issues while utilizing parliamentary procedure and learning valuable negotiation, writing, and public speaking skills.

For more information about NIRA, please contact Bass at nbass@nova.edu, and go to

https://cahss.nova.edu/departments/hps/community/un-competition.html

NIRA Executive Leadership 2019

CAHSS Hosts Internship Workshop for Students in the Department of History & Political Science

On October 17, 2019, the Department of History and Political Science in NSU’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS) hosted an internship workshop for undergraduate students majoring in history, political science, legal studies, international studies, and philosophy. The meeting highlighted several local internship opportunities designed specifically for students in these fields.  Staff from NSU’s Office of Career Services were on hand to talk about the internship process and highlight a range of other internship opportunities available to NSU undergraduate students.

CAHSS Doctoral Graduate Dilip Kulkarni Returned to NSU to address the Social Justice Roundtable

Dilip Kulkarni, Ph.D., Ed.D.

Dilip Kulkarni, Ph.D., Ed.D., graduate of the doctoral program in the Department of Conflict Resolution Studies in NSU’s College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences (CAHSS), returned to NSU to be the featured speaker at the Social Justice Roundtable (SJR) during the Fall Residential Institute. Kulkarni shared his thoughts on the important topic of “Reflective Introspection about Social Justice.” Over twenty students, alumni, and faculty participated both in person and via Go to Training. The SJR provides a forum to examine and discuss topics related to human rights and social justice.

In addition to his degree from NSU, Kulkarni recently completed an Ed.D. at Northeastern University. His other degrees include his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from University of Bombay, India, an M.S. in civil engineering from Clarkson College of Technology (now Clarkson University), and an M.S. in Organizational Dynamics from the University of Pennsylvania.

The Social Justice Roundtable is open to all NSU students. For more information, please contact Judith McKay, J.D., Ph.D., faculty in the Department of Conflict Resolution Studies at mckayj@nova.edu

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